Warning against pedicures after woman almost loses leg

A woman in America has warned of the dangers of getting a pedicure at a nail salon after almost losing her leg.

Tracy Lynn Martinez suffered a serious infection in her foot and leg after indulging in a pedicure at a local salon, which she claims was caused by a callus cutter.

"I just wanted to share my story to save someone from going [through] what I'm going through or even death," Martinez wrote on Facebook.

Martinez believed the "grade A salon" in Winston Salem to be very clean.

"The whirlpool baths have the disposable bags, and they bring the new fresh tools in a new bag," she said in her Facebook post, "but also bring a nice bacteria infected callus cutter too."

Martinez visited the nail salon on June 22 for her pedicure and the next day, was suffering nauseousness, chills and vomiting. She attempted to sleep off the symptoms of what she thought was the beginning of a cold, but by June 24 – just two days after the pedicure – she had no strength, lack of balance and her leg had swollen to a huge size.

She continued explaining on her post on Facebook, "I am [in an] ambulance to the Emergency Room to find out [if] I am toxic and have a serious case of cellulitis caused by a strep infection in my blood stream caused by the scrapes on the outside of my heel from the callus cutter."

Martinez added, "I have been through hell, pain, shock, all of it.... But I want to raise awareness. Say NO to the callus cutters/shavers."

The 35-year-old has since discovered that callus cutters are not permitted in nail salons in North Carolina, writing, "There is no way to properly disinfect this tool to continually [use] on people. I no longer recommend pedicures but definitely say NO to these callus shavers if you do go!"

She is still recovering from the infection after a two-week stint in hospital and is required to take medication for the next 3 months. Martinez explained that she will also have to wear compression stockings for the rest of her life, to protect herself from another infection, as well as take a separate medication for life.

"Every day was a new chapter of what was going to happen to my leg. Was I going to lose my leg? Was I going to lose my life?" Martinez shared.

Do you regularly get pedicures at nail salons? Tell us in the comments below.